Shockingly Good Smartphones You Can Get for $350 or Less

Who says a great phone has to cost $1,000? As components and software improve, a new generation of solid cheap phones offers everything you need

At some point, we all decided that smartphones cost $1,000 or more. But they don't have to. WSJ's David Pierce surveys the cheap-phone landscape, and finds a few surprisingly great devices at surprisingly low prices. Photo/Video: Emily Prapuolenis/The Wall Street Journal

It’s become an unwritten but unbreakable rule: Great phones cost $1,000. A few years ago, when we were paying $200 with a two-year contract, that seemed preposterous. Now you’re either renting an iPhone XS for $42 a month or dropping 10 Benjamins on Day One.

I’ve long recommended that people buy the most expensive phone they can afford. Your phone is likely your most important device, and it’s worth investing in. Recently, though, a generation of far cheaper phones hit the market offering a shockingly similar experience. These...